Emphysema

• Emphysema


  A lung condition that causes shortness of breath
• In people with emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are damaged
• Emphysema progression

  1. Inner walls weaken

  2. Rupture

  3. Create larger air spaces

  4. Reduce surface area
• Reduced surface area of the lungs

  Reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches your bloodstream
• When you exhale, the damaged alveoli don't work properly and old air becomes trapped
• Old air becoming trapped leaves no room for fresh, oxygen-rich air to enter
• Most people with emphysema also have chronic bronchitis
• Chronic bronchitis

  Inflammation of the tubes that carry air to your lungs (bronchial tubes), which leads to a persistent cough
• Conditions that make up COPD

  • Emphysema
  • Chronic bronchitis
• Smoking is the leading cause of COPD
• Treatment may slow the progression of COPD, but it can't reverse the damage